President Donald Trump reportedly sidelined his influential White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, in his decision for the new press secretary, leading insiders to warn that the West Wing is beginning to return to the chaos of his first term.
Trump chose conservative commentator Katie Zacharia without consulting Wiles, with four sources telling the Daily Mail that the process was without a proper vetting process and was decided in about 72 hours.
Wiles wanted CNN’s MAGA cheerleader Scott Jenning to replace Karoline Leavitt, per the report, and the White House staff had expected Trump to wait until after the November midterm elections before making a decision.
Instead, Trump took matters into his own hands after enjoying Zacharia performance on Fox News. The president consulted his advisors, including Boris Epshteyn and Leavitt, on whether Zacharia could handle the job.
Leavitt reportedly gave her approval, and Trump personally called Zacharia to offer her the position, which she accepted immediately, per the report.
In a humiliating turn, Wiles learned of the decision from Leavitt, who called her after speaking with Trump, according to a White House source.
An administration source defended Trump's decision, saying Wiles wanted someone personally loyal to her, while the president picked an aide "loyal to him."
A second source claimed that Wiles is power-hungry and pointed to an internal power struggle: 'Wiles wants people she can control,' a source said in the report, adding: “This is seen as one of many recent microaggressions of Donald to Susie. He is taking back control, and it is starting to feel more like the first term.”
The comment highlighted concerns that Trump is avoiding the assistants who manage his White House, instead opting for the more structured method linked to Wiles.
Zacharia's surprise promotion has also caused concern among other members of the administration. A senior Trump official told the Daily Mail that staff members are afraid of a major reshuffling following the midterms, some seeing the appointment as proof that Trump is willing to carry out wide-ranging changes by himself.
The new press secretary has her own political associations. Previously, she had worked at the Department of Homeland Security, where she was recruited by Corey Lewandowski, a former adviser to Kristi Noem; she left after six weeks due to internal tensions, the report says.
Zacharia also has a strained relationship with Richard Grenell, Trump's long-time ally, who is said to have supported rival candidates for the post.
Despite the controversy over her appointment, those familiar with Zacharia said she has no intention of settling old scores or immediately replacing staff. Leavitt also supported Zacharia publicly in a post on social media. According to a source, Zacharia hopes to establish a working relationship with Wiles.
